East Coast or Gulf Coast Fishing in Florida???

[sand1man]

Location: North Carolina My wife and I are planning a trip to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale in June, we are going to be staying there a few days and have decided when we come back instead of heading back home we might as well stay a few more days and do some fishing off Florida, we will be in a 24' CC any help on which coast to fish and what to fish for would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[signmansez]

Head south and go to the Keys. No sense in spending your vacation driving around Florida with a boat in tow when you are so close to the some of the best and most versatile fishing grounds in the state.

[triumphrick]

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What he said!

[spearnreel]

I'd opt for staying the additional days on the island but I live in Florida so thats probably why. Your best bet is to check the latest fishing regulations at the time, as the Gulf side and the Atlantic side are regulated by seperate "regulators". Like right now, for the most part all Grouper stock are closed for harvest in the Gulf federal areas, except for a very few less common species of grouper and red grouper closes in less than 2 weeks. A 24' cc sounds like you would be targeting fish in some deeper habitat? And then you have the weather to deal with...who knows how it'll be by then. I wish I could plan a perfect fishing trip 6 months out. Don't hurt to ask but may want to wait a bit...as these regs change like the weather.

[sand1man]

Thanks for the replies, however I am not looking for a perfect fishing trip just some local insight, hoping that since I am 700 miles away someone might know which side has better fishing and what might be biting, running 10 miles offshore to the gulf stream and having 2 bodies of water are simply not options I have in NC, the regulations are a good point wasn't aware they were different on each side.

[turbo]

Go down to Islamorada or Key West and try to get some local info. That is some of the best fishing in the world.

[debugger]

In June their should be some dolphin around. Fish the marathon humps for some or drift the patch reefs in the Keys. You can always jump to the bay side if the seas kick up. No need to go all the way to KW and the accomodations for boats at the motels are better in the upper and middle keys.

[jillybird]

On the west coast, like the Boca Grande area, you'll be at the height of the giant tarpon run. Unbelievable sight to see. You'll also get kings, snook, reds. But realize that if you go offshore on the west coast, you've got to run many miles out to get to deep water. The southeast Florida coast has the Gulf Stream just a few miles offshore. In the summer, that's mahi season. Sailfish are largely a late fall/winter/early spring fling. The Keys offer good tarpon fishing up through late May but many of them are gone to the north by June. There's still great fishing in the Keys. You can't go wrong.

[Knottymaid]

West coast will be a long trip, limited by your fuel burn. You will want a depth of 60' or greater at that time of the year. East coast should have some dolphin around and some kings to the North. You could move even further North to the Canaveral area and have a shot at some bottom fishing.

[signmansez]

sandman, instead of running over to Bimini then back to Florida, make the trip to the Abacos,

A week spent there will blow away Bimini and the Keys! There is every kind of fishing, snorkeling, diving and exploring you could want.

You can stay in rustic to luxurious accomodations. The ride over is a gorgeous one. About 60 miles to West End from Jupiter and then onto the many islands that the Abacos have to choose from.

If this intersests you, pick up a copy of Steve Dodge's guide to Cruising the Abacos. It is a must have guide full of dead on waypoints and all of the boating and tourist info you will need.